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(Alliance News) - Vodafone Group PLC has become the first German telecommunications company to launch a commercial 5G network, activating 25 antenna locations in Dusseldorf, Cologne, Dortmund and other German cities and communities on Tuesday.
Vodafone's 5G high-speed mobile network is still very limited; nationwide, the company has about 25,000 mobile base stations. By August, there are expected to be 50 of the 5G stations.
Private customers can start using 5G over the antennas starting on Wednesday, by adding it to their existing Vodafone contracts, the company said.
Users would now need 5G-compatible smartphones, however. Vodafone is offering phones made by Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Samsung Electronics Co.
Vodafone's competitors have not made it as far yet. Deutsche Telekom AG says that it will activate its 5G network "in the coming weeks," while Telefonica SA is still keeping silent on the issue.
For private customers, the fifth generation in mobile technology is not so important yet as most mobile apps function well with what had been the fastest standard to date: 4G, which is also known as LTE.
But 5G could be needed in the future for virtual reality or data-intensive online games.